The Psalms are a good place to linger if you are in the middle of a tough season. If you are in the middle of anxiety, grief or conflict, the songs and poetry will give you hope and strength.
Social workers are essential
Join us in celebrating National Social Work Month: Social Workers are Essential and honoring our social workers at Encompass and our family of ministries.
Flourishing
We are pleased to share that CCHO and our family of ministries, including Encompass Christian Counseling and Encourage Foster Care, has received the designation of for the fifth year in a row!
Considering counseling for the first time
Learning more about therapy may be your next right step. Our desire is for you to feel comfortable and confident in receiving services.
You feel like you’ve hit your pandemic wall
This is a common feeling as the one-year anniversary of the shutdown approaches. We’ve been living in a sustained period of stress and often operating in a crisis response. Being resilient takes effort and energy. If you’re feeling discouraged, you are not alone.
30-Year Pleggacy
Carla and John Plegge are celebrating 30 years of service to CCHO and our family of ministries. This milestone, affectionately known as the Pleggacy, includes bringing equine therapy to the residential campus and then to the general public at One Heart Stables.
A love we can’t lose
Here we stand at the start of a new year, with a blank canvas before us. As on organization, that time will be filled by helping others experience their true worth that’s found in Christ. Today’s blog post will simply point to what that worth looks like.
Man Therapy: Because men can’t just rub some dirt on their emotions
Underneath the humor is a vital message: As men, we have to move past the stigma associated with mental health issues to see that real strength and courage is choosing to seek help for things like anger, anxiety, depression, grief and addiction.
How are you feeling?
This year, we’ve been pushed and stretched often beyond what we thought we could handle. Let’s take a moment and check in. How are you feeling today? How are you responding to those feelings?
Social Worker of the Year
Today we celebrate Encompass Regional Director Lisa Haberbusch, MSW, LISW-S for being recognized as Social Worker of the Year for the Mansfield to Canton service region. We are grateful for her leadership as well as heart for others.
Control or connection
Today on the blog, Encompass Equine Therapist Melissa McMullen, LSW, highlights an important concept that many of us need to be reminded of. May you find the strength to choose connection over control.
A better morning
How we start the day can determine how the day will go. Your first actions—even before getting out of bed—can help set the tone for your emotional, physical and spiritual well-being.
Expanding office space to serve more clients
Encompass Christian Counseling opened a new office in Green this past spring. Expanding to the larger office suite allows us our clinical team to grow as we care for the mental health needs in Summit and Stark County communities.
Finding hope
Today on the blog, Encompass Equine Therapist Krista Overmire, LPCC, offers encouragement and resources from her favorite author.
Psychiatric care complements counseling and case management
In addition to counseling and case management services, Encompass also includes outpatient psychiatric care as part of our service array. These services are available through our clinical partners at Christian Children’s Home of Ohio so that your mental health care is streamlined and connected.
Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
As we acknowledge September as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, Encompass Therapist Jordan Kamwesa, LPC shares her thoughts on the importance of supportive communities and creating spaces where hope and belonging can flourish.
Take a step into counseling
It requires a bit of courage and trust to take a step into counseling. Explore the methods, benefits and responsibilites of healthy and productive therapy.
Case management adds a layer of support
Encompass offers case management services in addition to traditional counseling because we desire to see each person succeed in their environment. This added layer of support helps make lasting change for the whole family, including foster families.
Coronavirus safety update
With the most recent mandate about face coverings, we wanted to let you know what to expect when you come for your next visit as well as remind you of our ongoing safety procedures.
You are worthy
You are worthy. Your kids are worthy. Your family is worthy. You have a voice. You are not alone. Let’s find solutions toghether.
Engaging local students
School’s out for the summer, but our school-based clinical team is using this time to engage local students in social, educational and team-building activities.
Making your family’s back-to-school decision
Back-to-school is a frequent topic of conversation for parents, educators and community leaders. In person or virtual? With or without masks? How to keep everyone safe? How to provide the best learning opportunities? These decisions may be causing stress for parents,...
Stretching the way we think
Recognizing and correcting unhealthy ways of thinking can greatly improve your outlook on yourself, others and the world.
Summer and school resources
Our Encompass team has put together some summer and back-to-school resources to help your family enjoy this season and prepare for the next.
Racial competency resources
As we seek to foster empathy for others, it is helpful to understand their background and experiences. We invite you to keep listening and learning with a humble, teachable heart as you grow in your knowledge of black culture, history and trauma.
Teaching kids their worth
We can affirm children’s messages of value and worth through words and pictures. Here are two recommended children’s books that caregivers can read with their kids about their unique and wonderful qualities.
Fostering empathy for those whose race is different than our own
As we look at our own families and our own experiences, let’s begin to ask ourselves, how can we uproot and examine our own biases and teach our children about race in productive ways that fosters empathy? Wherever you are on the journey, our heart is for you to see yourself and others as worthy in Christ.
A softer way
In a world that often pushes us to try harder and do more, this book recommendation offers a softer more curious approach with ourselves. Take a look.
Great Grill Off
Learn more about the 8th Annual Great Grill Off–a virtual community event with online auction.
Building connection after trauma
Childhood trauma often affects an individual’s attachment style. Attachment theory has been used for many years to help build connection in families who have found each other through foster care and adoption.
Looking for courage
If you’re looking for courage and bravery to be your true self, then you’ve come to the right place.
Self-perception exercise
Today’s mental health minute is a getting-to-know-you exercise. All you need is a piece of blank paper (standard copy paper or notebook paper will do) and something to draw with (crayon, pen, marker, etc.).
As we collectively persevere
Rebecca Ryder, MA, NCC, LPCC-S, Encompass Assistant Regional Program Director, shares her thoughts on mental health and persevering during this challenging time.
Shifting your mindset
Today’s blog post comes from Encompass Therapist Jordan Kamwesa, LPC. Her words acknowledge the tough reality that we are all being stretched with due to the health crisis. Juggling family, school, jobs and the unknown creates stress and tension. She invites us to shift into a growth mindset to help us persevere and love our families a little better each day.
Boldly breaking through the awkwardness of stigma
Today on the blog, Lisa Haberbusch, MSW, LISW-S, Encompass Regional Director, shares about the importance of countering mental health stigma to help others and ourselves be stronger and healthier. She invites you to be bold.
Helping kids win over anxiety
Anxiety is not a fun feeling, but we can learn how to manage it. Lisa Haberbusch, LISW-S, Director of Encompass Central has helped many kids understand and manage this mental health challenge. She recommends “Hey Warrior”–a book for children (ages 5-12+) about overcoming fears and anxiety.
The local church responds and restores
As we acknowledge Mental Health Month in May, we celebrate the ministry local churches providing leadership and compassion for the mental health needs of individuals and families in their communities.
Connecting before correcting
Molly Woods, LSW, a school-based Encompass therapist, recommends “The Connected Child: Bring hope and healing to your adoptive family” by Dr. Karyn Purvis who is one of the masterminds behind Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI). Dr. Purvis was a child development expert and passionate advocate for vulnerable children. She passed away in 2016. Her life and legacy live on through TBRI and books like this one.
Taking care of your mental health
As we recognize May as Mental Health Month two months into the COVID-19 health crisis, our services may look different but our heart remains the same. Our hope is that each one of you experiences your worth in Christ.
Soup for the grieving soul
Talking about emotions doesn’t come naturally to everyone. We don’t always have the vocabulary to name or describe our feelings. Sometimes emotions are strong, overwhelming or just plain hard. Having a tool such as a book or a story can be a helpful way to start a conversation.
Curious about faith
We are all at different places in our faith journey. There are times when we have no doubts and times when we question much. If you are currently in a season of struggling with faith, we appreciate your honesty and encourage you to keep pursuing truth.
“A Little Scribble Spot” read-aloud
“A Little Scribble Spot” uses simple, effective and creative ways to educate its readers by highlighting emotions with descriptive language and colorful illustrations. It uses these tools to demonstrate how experiencing different emotions at the same time is common and okay as long as they do not overwhelm us.
Daily pause
Meditation, or turning your full attention to God, can be an especially helpful friend right now. Starting a new habit isn’t always easy, but here’s a free Christian app that will walk you through a reset process that’s focused on God’s goodness and care.
Food resources
Taking care of your mental and physical health can feel like a huge task with obstacles along the way. We want to support you and connect you to local resources. Here are a variety of organizations helping to ensure that families have access to healthy food.
Gifts abounding
We will always have room to learn and grow on our earthly journey. Gaining knowledge from trustworthy sources can help us navigate life, faith, relationships and ourselves better. Everyone has something to glean from this personal memoir by Ann Voskamp.
Five ways to stay connected
Today’s Mental Health Minute is from Encompass School-Based Therapist Molly Woods. Molly reminds us of the importance of connecting with our family, friends and community. Social connection makes us healthier in many ways. It can lower anxiety and depression, help us regulate our emotions, lead to higher self-esteem and empathy, and actually improve our immune systems.
Counseling Awareness Month
Encompass Christian Counseling and our family of ministries is filled with licensed professional counselors who help children and adults achieve their goals through empathy, insight and faith.
Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Month
The month of April is Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Month here in Ohio. Learn more about the affects of child abuse as well as how you can be eyes and ears for children in your community.
Support for mental health caregivers
We’ve been asked to keep social/physical distance right now to stop the spread of the coronavirus. In response to this change, many organizations are now offering online resources because they understand that needs continue or even rise during crisis.
Children’s books about feelings
Rebecca Ryder, MA, NCC, LPCC-S, Assistant Regional Program Director recommends two children’s books to help you better manage your child’s emotions.
Certified Best Christian Workplace 2020
Celebrate with us! For the fourth straight year, Encompass Christian Counseling and our family of ministries is once again a Best Christian Workplace, Certified for 2020!
Parenting from the heart
Encompass clinicians are hosting a four-week parenting series called Parenting from the Heart on Mondays at Parkview Christian Church in Wooster. Designed for parents with children of all ages, we’ll focus on topics relevant to raising today’s kids.
Tools for today, hope for tomorrow
Today, we are excited to share another success story from our intensive trauma treatment, Thrive Trauma Recovery, part of Encompass Counseling. In story #42, Kristina Fryson (MSW, LSW, CTT) shows the powerful difference that effective trauma treatment can make in someone’s life.
There’s more to life than surviving
As an agency committed to being trauma effective, we are happy to share a story today from Lindsay DeHaas, MSW, LSW, one of the therapists from Thrive Trauma Recovery. Story #33 in our 50 Stories for 50 Years of Ministry series offers hope to those who may otherwise have a hard time finding it.
Getting close enough to listen
Today, Rebecca Ryder (MA, NCC, LPCC-S), Managing Clinical Supervisor with Encompass Counseling, looks at the transformational role stories have played in her personal and professional life. Entry #22 in our series encourages us all to embrace the privilege of hearing someone else’s story of growth, healing and change.
A new day for Ashley
Today, we’re excited to share Ashley’s video with you as story 17 in our 50 Stories for 50 Years of Ministry series. It is an honor to walk alongside people like Ashley, who has found health and healing for herself and her family during her time as an Encompass Christian Counseling client.
Josie’s triumph
Story 7 from our series takes us to One Heart Stables on the Wooster Campus of CCHO where Encompass Equine Therapist Krista Overmire, LCPC, engages the help of horses to show clients like Josie their true worth in Christ.
Healing for a kindergartener’s heart
In story 6, school-based Encompass Therapist Abby Fischer, LISW, shares about a young student at Triway Local Schools whose life has been changed by supportive mental health services. Abby’s position of working directly in the school system is far from monotonous. After meeting Joey, she knew she would have unique opportunities to keep her on her toes.
National Social Work Month
We are deeply grateful for the countless contributions of our agency’s social workers throughout the year and acknowledge them especially this month in observance of National Social Work Month.